crimebuster

See also: crime-buster and crime buster

English

Alternative forms

• crime-buster, crime buster

Etymology

Etymology tree

English crime

English buster

English crimebuster

From crime +‎ buster.

Noun

crimebuster (plural crimebusters)

1. (chiefly US, informal) A person, especially a law enforcement officer, who is particularly effective in thwarting criminal activity and in bringing criminals to justice.
   • 1938 April 10, Louther S. Horne, “Loesch Tells How to Beat Crime: A Need is Seen for Fearless Prosecutors”, in New York Times, page 120:

     This corporation law background is less known than his record as a crime-buster.

   • 1976 August 2, “Dipping into the Cookie Jar”, in Time:

     Bit by bit, J. Edgar Hoover's image as an incorruptible crimebuster has crumbled since his death in 1972.

   • 2009, Joel Rubinoff, "Swayze breathes life into killing" (TV review), Toronto Star, 22 Jan. (retrieved 22 Jan. 2009):

     Swayze's ruthless crimebuster never hesitates—and as he plugs street scum full of bullets and pursues his own form of frontier justice with a hard, penetrating squint, we find ourselves rooting for a character who, in lesser hands, could be perceived as downright ugly.

Synonyms

• gangbuster

References

• “crimebuster”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.